1. Starting Costs vs. ROI
No doubt about it: replacing your current HVAC system with a geothermal heating and cooling system is an expensive proposition. Initial costs here in Manhattan can be anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 – or above. Lot size, site accessibility, system configuration, ground conditions, and other matters account for that. So too does the amount of excavation that must be done and what type of ductwork modifications are necessary. And if you’re having a new home constructed? It’s not as expensive, overall, but it’ll still cost around 40 percent more than a more common HVAC system will cost you.
Okay, we’ve dispensed with the bad news. Let’s turn now to the good news. To begin with, certain incentives and rebates may be accesable at the federal, state and local level to help you bear the installation costs. Also, the energy savings feasible with your new geothermal heating and cooling system will help you begin to recoup your initial investment almost immediately. The upshot is, you could recoup your investment in as little as four years. But , then again: Local utility rates and the end cost of your installation may slow full repayment for something like 15 years. Seeing as how geothermal systems typically keep working for upwards of 30 or 50 years, though, you’ll still come out ahead. You just have to decide early on what your finances can weather … and how patient you are.
2. Geothermal Benefits Can Easily Override Concerns About Starting Costs
We’ll enumerate the most consequential benefits:
- Compared to common heating and cooling systems, geothermal heating and cooling could clip as much as 30 to 60 percent off your heating bills. And it could minimize your cooling costs by as much as 20 to 50 percent.
- Geothermal systems use renewable energy – heat transferred from the ground.
- Geothermal heat pumps don’t operate by combustion, so there are no greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, etc.) and no fire safety or air quality concerns.
- Because no outdoor fans or compressors are necessary, geothermal heating and cooling systems are much quieter than common systems.
- Since there aren’t many moving parts at all and geothermal systems are sheltered from the elements, you’re pretty much guaranteed many decades of low-maintenance, top-performance use. Indoor components may last about 30 years, ground loops, about 50.
Want further information on any of these matters in order to make a decision about your heating and cooling options? Turn to the Manhattan geothermal pros at Carlson Heating & AC, LLC. We’re happy to help, regardless of what you decide.